A true Madeiran loves a party! We have parties for everyone and everything throughout the year, and it only needs to be repeated twice for it to develop into a tradition, which then becomes mandatory to maintain!
It is in Summer that frequency reaches fever pitch and, if you like a good party, you’ve just earned the right to become part Madeiran… this will naturally have to be accompanied by a “poncha”!
The season always kicks off (somewhat embarrassingly), as early as June. The smell of the sea lingers in the air, the nights become shorter and warmer. Then come the festivities of the Popular Saints, one of them so important that he has even given his name to this house! There will be no lack of flags and basil, of course, even in the middle of the city! But there’s more, right from the start of the month, “The Roots of the Atlantic”, offers a festival that brings us music from other parts of the world and which has gained international acclaim!
Every weekend throughout the month, on Saturdays, the “Atlantic Festival” takes place, which we locals have learned to appreciate. At the beginning of the night, we join together along the Avenida do Mar to watch the fireworks competition, with music to the beat of each and every rocket.
For those who are fans of our regional products, there is the “Cherry Festival”, a festival alluding to this fruit, which takes place every year in the municipality of Jardim da Serra, to commemorate its harvest. An excellent pretext for a party, don’t you think? We have already warned you that we Madeirans have parties for everything, haven’t we?
If you’re a fan of vintage cars, you won’t want to miss the “Volta à Madeira” in Classics which takes place in July. An authentic spectacle of unique cars that parade through this breath-taking landscape. At the beginning of the month, there is also the renowned “Jazz Festival”, an open-air event that has provided us with concerts with some big names in Jazz.
As we have something to suit all tastes, we couldn’t miss out on festivals with themes alluding to the sea. As an example and without intending to go over the top, we hold the Big Game Fishing Championship, where we try to catch the largest blue marlin in the world and the Madeira Traditional Canoes Regatta, which runs a route of 2.5km around the bay of Funchal.
Because the locals also make use of their traditions, Santana (a small town located in the north of the island) holds a Regional Folklore Festival that, wait for it… is a 24-hour dance marathon. Now that is really dancing!
Going south towards the sea, we reach Machico and, during the Gastronomic Week that is held there, you will be able to sample all the specialties from the island, from “bolo do caco” to bread pudding, and not forgetting, of course, the traditional “espetada”.
August comes in at full speed with the Madeira Wine Rally, usually held on the first weekend of the month and then the “Arraiais Populares” (popular local village festivals) kick off in full force. During this month, at the weekends, we have the habit of traveling around the island as a celebration of Summer, visiting family members who live their lives away from the cities.
The festival of “Nossa Senhora do Monte”, on the 15th August or the he festival of “Senhor Bom Jesus” in Ponta Delgada at the beginning of September, remind us of the importance of religion for these people, who always celebrate these moments with great joy and alacrity. They really know how to party!
In September we work the wine harvest, from picking the grapes to treading them. These are then used to make the most famous product on this island, after Cristiano Ronaldo: – Madeira Wine. Parties are organized all over the island (naturally!) around this theme and in Funchal there is the “Wine Festival”, where some table wines are also introduced. All this proves just as popular as the aforementioned product!
To unwind a little, this month we are also in the habit of going to Porto Santo to watch the Columbus Festival, where we celebrate the passage of that famous Genoese navigator around the island. We take the opportunity to set foot on the golden sand that warms the soul. If you want to pop over to take a peep, we will look after your bags!
After a period where it seems we were forced to keep our lives on hold, we have been prohibited from being in touch with one another so these are just suggestions that we leave up to you to mull over, and which you can try with all due care and attention, surrounded by smiling eyes that appear above the masks
If you are not one for festivals, the alternative is also simple; you may always rest easy by the Hotel, which, due to its size, allows you to escape from large crowds and confusions. If you want help, whatever it may be, please contact us!